📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Director of Growth & Business Development, Water - UK&I
🔹 Company: AECOM
🔹 Location: London, Croydon
🔹 Job Type: Full-time, Hybrid
🔹 Category: Civil Engineering, Water
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-18
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site/Hybrid
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Strategic growth leadership across AECOM’s Water business in the UK and Ireland
- Business development and sales, driving new business opportunities and expanding the client base
- Market intelligence and positioning, positioning AECOM as a thought leader in water resilience, digital water, ESG, and infrastructure innovation
- Cross-functional collaboration and bid development, working closely with marketing, sector leads, and other teams to align client solutions with capabilities and market directions
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset, strong commercial acumen, and a deep understanding of the water sector to drive growth and business development initiatives.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead the UK&I Water Business and collaborate with other business lines and sector leads on key pursuits and growth initiatives
✅ Define and execute a growth strategy aligned with corporate goals, while monitoring market trends, policy shifts, and emerging opportunities to guide investment and innovation
✅ Drive new business opportunities and expand the client base through engagement with public and private sectors, partnerships, and networking
✅ Lead major bids, proposals, and commercial negotiations, ensuring strong win rates and profitability
✅ Conduct market and competitive analysis to refine propositions and identify new revenue streams
✅ Position AECOM as a thought leader in water resilience, digital water, ESG, and infrastructure innovation
✅ Coordinate pipeline analysis and bid management to meet business plan targets
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of external engagement, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills to build and maintain strategic partnerships and win business.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Engineering, Business, or related discipline). A Master's degree would be an asset.
Experience: Extensive experience (10+ years) in business development, growth strategy, or commercial leadership within the water sector.
Required Skills:
- Proven track record in revenue generation, deal structuring, and leading complex bids in the water sector
- Strong knowledge of the water market, including regulatory frameworks, infrastructure cycles (AMP), and digital transformation
- Well-established network in water utilities, infrastructure, or technology sectors
- Experience with public sector procurement and framework agreements
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and strategic planning skills
- Solid understanding of ESG principles in a water context
- Awareness of industry trends in Europe and India
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working in a global organization
- Fluency in additional languages relevant to the UK&I water market
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with a strong background in water sector business development and a proven track record of driving growth and winning complex bids will be most successful in this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £80,000 - £120,000 per annum (AI estimate based on market data and experience level)
Benefits:
- Competitive benefits package, including health insurance, pension, and other employee perks
- Flexible work arrangements, with a hybrid work model offering a blend of on-site and remote work
- Opportunities for professional development and career growth within a global organization
Working Hours: Full-time, typically 37.5 hours per week, with flexibility to work additional hours as needed to meet project deadlines
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on market data and experience level. The actual salary may vary depending on factors such as the candidate's specific skills, qualifications, and negotiation.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Civil Engineering, focusing on water infrastructure and services
Company Size: AECOM is a large, global organization with over 10,000 employees, providing ample opportunities for career growth and development
Founded: AECOM was founded in 1990, with a rich history of delivering complex infrastructure projects worldwide
Company Description:
- AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world through innovative solutions in water, environment, energy, transportation, and buildings
- The Water Business Line at AECOM provides a broad range of clients with a full range of Water services across all sectors, with a team of over 700 professionals spread across the UK and Ireland
- AECOM fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability, with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Company Specialties:
- Cities
- Commercial & Residential
- Education
- Governments
- Healthcare
- Industrial
- Leisure & Hospitality
- Oil, Gas & Chemicals
- Power
- Sports & Venues
- Transportation
- and Water
Company Website: http://www.aecom.com
ASSUMPTION: AECOM's global presence and diverse project portfolio offer unique opportunities for candidates to work on complex, high-impact infrastructure projects and contribute to a sustainable future.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior leadership role, reporting directly to the Water Business Line Lead
Reporting Structure: This role is part of the Water Business Line leadership team and collaborates with other business lines and sector leads on key pursuits and growth initiatives
Work Arrangement: Hybrid work model, with a blend of on-site and remote work, typically 2-3 days per week on-site
Growth Opportunities:
- Progression to a more senior leadership role within AECOM's Water Business Line or other business lines
- Expansion of responsibilities to include additional regions or business lines
- Development of strategic partnerships and alliances to drive growth and innovation
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to shape the strategic direction of AECOM's Water business in the UK and Ireland.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: AECOM's UK&I headquarters is located in London, with additional offices across the country
Office Location(s): AECOM's UK&I offices are located in London, Croydon, and other major cities
Geographic Context:
- The UK&I water market is dynamic and evolving, with significant investment in infrastructure and digital transformation
- AECOM's UK&I offices are strategically located to serve clients across the region
- The UK&I water market offers diverse opportunities for candidates to work on complex, high-profile projects
Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility to work additional hours as needed to meet project deadlines
ASSUMPTION: AECOM's UK&I offices provide a collaborative and innovative work environment, with opportunities for candidates to work on complex, high-impact infrastructure projects.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume screening
- Phone or video screening with the hiring manager
- On-site or virtual interview with the Water Business Line Lead and other stakeholders
- Final interview with the AECOM UK&I Regional Managing Director
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and growth planning
- Market knowledge and industry trends
- Communication and collaboration skills
- Commercial acumen and negotiation skills
- Leadership and team management skills
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills in water sector business development and growth strategy
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that assess your ability to drive growth and win complex bids in the water sector
- Research AECOM's Water Business Line and the UK&I water market to demonstrate your industry knowledge and understanding of the role
ATS Keywords: Business Development, Growth Strategy, Water Sector, Commercial Leadership, Revenue Generation, Deal Structuring, Complex Bids, Market Trends, Digital Transformation, Public Sector Procurement, ESG Principles
ASSUMPTION: AECOM's interview process is designed to assess candidates' strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and industry knowledge, with a focus on their ability to drive growth and win complex bids in the water sector.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- CRM software (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics)
- Project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello)
- Data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)
ASSUMPTION: This role requires proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and CRM software, with additional tools and technologies used to support project management, data analysis, and reporting.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Safety
- Quality
- Integrity
- Innovation
- One AECOM
Work Style:
- Collaborative and inclusive team environment
- Focus on continuous learning and professional development
- Results-driven and solution-oriented approach
- Flexible and adaptable to changing market conditions
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with AECOM's company values, particularly 'Innovation' and 'One AECOM'?
- How comfortable are you working in a hybrid work environment, balancing on-site and remote work?
- How do you approach continuous learning and professional development in a dynamic and evolving market?
ASSUMPTION: AECOM values candidates who embrace a collaborative and inclusive work style, with a strong commitment to innovation, continuous learning, and results-driven performance.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a diverse portfolio of projects and clients across the UK&I water market
- Navigating complex procurement processes and framework agreements in the public sector
- Balancing short-term business development priorities with long-term strategic growth initiatives
- Adapting to evolving market conditions and industry trends in the UK&I water sector
ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges and opportunities for candidates to drive growth and business development in the dynamic and evolving UK&I water market.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role differs from other business development roles in the water sector due to its strategic focus on driving growth and innovation across AECOM's UK&I Water Business Line
- Industry-specific context: The UK&I water market is dynamic and evolving, with significant investment in infrastructure and digital transformation
- Career path comparison: This role offers a clear path for progression to more senior leadership roles within AECOM's Water Business Line or other business lines
ASSUMPTION: This role offers unique opportunities for candidates to drive strategic growth and innovation in the UK&I water market, with a clear path for career progression within AECOM.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a strategic growth plan for AECOM's Water Business Line in the UK and Ireland, targeting key market segments and clients
- Leading a complex bid for a major water infrastructure project, requiring extensive stakeholder engagement, commercial negotiation, and project management
- Conducting market and competitive analysis to refine propositions and identify new revenue streams in the UK&I water sector
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic, commercial, and analytical aspects of the Director of Growth & Business Development role within AECOM's Water Business Line.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key strategic priorities for AECOM's Water Business Line in the UK and Ireland over the next 1-3 years?
- How does this role collaborate with other business lines and sector leads on key pursuits and growth initiatives?
- What are the most pressing challenges facing the UK&I water market, and how can this role address them to drive growth and innovation?
- What opportunities exist for professional development and career growth within AECOM's Water Business Line or other business lines?
- How does AECOM support work-life balance and flexible work arrangements for employees in this role?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions help candidates assess the strategic direction, collaboration, and growth opportunities within AECOM's Water Business Line, as well as the company's commitment to employee development and work-life balance.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills in water sector business development and growth strategy
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions that assess your ability to drive growth and win complex bids in the water sector
- Research AECOM's Water Business Line and the UK&I water market to demonstrate your industry knowledge and understanding of the role
- Follow up with the recruiter on LinkedIn to express your interest in the role and ask any questions you may have
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
